Trump pardons reality show couple convicted of bank fraud and tax crimes

Trump pardons reality show couple convicted of bank fraud and tax crimes

President Donald Trump has signed full pardons for imprisoned reality show couple Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in 2022 for a conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million, according to a White House official. In addition to the bank fraud convictions, they were also found guilty of several tax crimes, including attempting to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. In a post on X Tuesday, Trump's adviser Margo Martin posted a video of Trump phoning Savannah Chrisley, the couple's daughter, informing her of the plans for pardons. "It's a terrible thing. But it's a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean, and hopefully we can do it by tomorrow," Trump said. "I don't know them, but give them our regards," he continued. Alice Johnson, who Trump pardoned during his first term and is now acting as his "pardon czar," joined the president in the Oval Office for the phone call. "The President is always pleased to give well-deserving Americans a second chance, especially those who have been unfairly targeted and overly prosecuted by an unjust justice system. President Trump called Savannah and her brother from the Oval Office to personally inform them that he would be pardoning their parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, whose sentences were far too harsh," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. Savannah Chrisley spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July. Chrisley also helped campaign for Trump as part of "Team Trump's Women Tour." She recently appeared on Lara Trump's Fox News program to discuss her parents' plight. Todd Chrisley is serving 12 years at a Federal Prison Camp in Florida, and Julie Chrisley is serving her seven-year sentence at a Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. The Chrisleys, known for their reality program "Chrisley Knows Best," werefound guilty in June2022. Both of them have maintained their innocence and were appealing their criminal convictions. Scott Taylor, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, told CNN in a statement that the "release process could be immediate or may take up to a couple of days depending on the type of pardon and the necessary travel arrangements needed to get the individual from the facility to their release residence, including the purchase of bus or plane tickets." This story has been updated with additional details. CNN's Kristen Holmes and Shania Shelton contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 28, 2025

Trump pardons reality show couple convicted of bank fraud and tax crimes

Trump pardons reality show couple convicted of bank fraud and tax crimes President Donald Trump has signed full pardons for imprisoned reali...

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Cornyn campaign launches ad buy accusing Paxton of ‘funding the left’

Cornyn campaign launches ad buy accusing Paxton of 'funding the left'

Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) campaign is rolling out four new ads attacking Texas Attorney General and Senate candidate Ken Paxton (R) for money his office gave to several Texas entities, accusing Paxton of "funding the left." The ads, roughly 30 seconds each and shared first with The Hill, criticize Paxton for issuing grant money toLegal Aid of NorthWest Texas, theTahirih Justice Center, theMontrose Center, andTexas RioGrande Legal Aid, insinuating that the organizations run counter to Republicans on issues related to immigration and gender. For example, a narrator in one of the ads accuses the Montrose Center of offering "gender programs for children as young as seven," noting that they have hosted "child-accessible drag shows." The Montrose Center, a group serving the LGBTQIA+ Houston community, offers various services, including case management and counseling. The group has previously hosted events that have included drag shows – events that have nationally drawn scorn and scrutiny from some Republicans. The ad is also likely referencing the center's Hatch Youth, which the center describes as "Houston's oldest, currently active social group dedicated to empowering LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults between the ages of 7 and 24." Cornyn's team told The Hill that the ads are part of a five-figure digital buy. Cornyn campaign senior adviser Matt Mackowiak alleged that the grants had cost millions of taxpayer dollars "approved that went to radical left organizations that do not share our conservative Texas values," describing Paxton as "crooked" and suggesting that "Texans cannot trust Ken Paxton." Paxton's campaign did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by The Hill regarding the ads. The different groups mentioned in the Cornyn campaign ads were approved for different types of grants in the past, largely under the "other victim assistance grant," whose service areas include direct victim services, victim services training, outreach and education, victim assistance coordinator and crime victim liaison. That hasn't stopped some of those groups from receiving scrutiny, however. Paxtoninvestigated the Tahirih Justice Center, a recipient of Texas Bar Foundation funding, in 2022 to see "whether these funds are being used to exacerbate the current crisis at the border and to thwart the efforts of federal and state law enforcement to secure the border." Republicans are bracing for a bitter primary between Cornyn and Paxton as Cornyn vies for a fifth term in the Senate. Paxton has described Cornyn as a "RINO" or "Republican in name only" while Cornyn's campaign has called Paxton a "fraud." The primary is already laying bare divisions within the Texas GOP and could threaten Republicans' chances of holding the seat.A poll commissioned by the Senate Leadership Fund, released this month, found Paxton leading Cornyn 56 percent to 40 percent. When Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) is added into the mix, the polling finds 44 percent behind Paxton, 34 percent behind Cornyn and 19 percent behind Hunt. But the polling also showed that Cornyn did the best among the three Republicans in a hypothetical matchup against former Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas), who could launch a second Senate campaign. President Trump has notably not weighed in on the Texas Senate GOP primary. "They're both friends of mine. They're both good men. And I don't know. We don't know who else is running, but these two— Ken, John —they're both friends of mine. So I'll make a determination at the right time," the presidentsaid on Air Force One last month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 28, 2025

Cornyn campaign launches ad buy accusing Paxton of ‘funding the left’

Cornyn campaign launches ad buy accusing Paxton of 'funding the left' Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) campaign is rolling out four ...

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Pacers vs. Knicks: Tyrese Haliburton erupts for historic triple-double in Game 4 as Indiana takes 3-1 lead

Pacers vs. Knicks: Tyrese Haliburton erupts for historic triple-double in Game 4 as Indiana takes 3-1 lead

Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers are just a win away from their first trip to the NBA Finals in decades. The Pacers, thanks to a dominant performance from Haliburton on Tuesday night, fended off the New York Knicks andgrabbed a 130-121 winat Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. That gave the Pacers a 3-1 series lead, and put them on the cusp of clinching their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years. Haliburton finished with a 32-point triple-double in the win. He had 15 assists and 12 rebounds to go with it, and he didn't commit a single turnover in the process. Haliburton is now the third player, along with Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokić, to put up a 30-15-10 triple-double in the playoffs. He's also the first to do that without a turnover. Haliburton came out firing. He dropped 15 points in the first quarter alone while leading the Pacers to an early lead. He accounted for half of their six made 3-pointers, too, which already surpassed the amount they made as a team in their Game 3 loss on Sunday night. Haliburton had six assists and five rebounds in the first period. That made him just the second player, and the first since LeBron James, to have at least 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a playoff quarter in the play-by-play era. The Knicks, though, tied the game just a few minutes into the second quarter after going on a quick 9-2 burst. It wasn't anywhere near as high-scoring as the opening period, but the Pacers still carried a five-point advantage into the locker room after they successfully fended off the Knicks' push in the final minutes. Haliburton entered halftime just two rebounds away from his triple-double, and he set another NBA milestone. Per the great@StatsWilliams:Tyrese Haliburton is the first player with at least 20 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 0 turnovers in a playoff half in the play-by-play data era (1996-97). — Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps)May 28, 2025 The Pacers remained a step ahead throughout the third quarter, and repeatedly shut down the Knicks defensively. Haliburton at one point came up with a perfect steal on Jalen Brunson in the corner of the floor while they fought to maintain the double-digit lead they regained early on in the period. HALI HUSTLES FOR THE STEAL ON BRUNSON 😤Getting the@Pacerscrowd into it!pic.twitter.com/IGsMSSPnwY — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT)May 28, 2025 The Pacers then ended the third quarter on a 9-4 run to take an 11-point lead. That carried over into the early minutes of the fourth period, and a huge corner 3-pointer from Pascal Siakam sent the arena into a frenzy and gave the Pacers a 15-point advantage — their largest of the game at the time. OH MY PASCAL SIAKAM!!!Crafty euro step.Corner 3.MASSIVE SWING FOR INDY IN G4 😤pic.twitter.com/0ADIooER1h — NBA (@NBA)May 28, 2025 Though the Knicks mounted one last push — they went on a 10-2 run and briefly made it a two-possession game again — it came too late. The Pacers successfully held on, and held the Knicks without a field goal for a three-minute span late, to jump back ahead and grab the nine-point victory. Towns went down twice with a knee injury in the loss, and the second one looked significant. After banging knees in the opening minutes of the game, Towns collided again late in the final quarter with Myles Turner and went down grabbing his left knee. He was down on the baseline for quite some time, slamming his hand on the floor and was seen covering his face on the bench while the Knicks challenged the play. The call ended up being successful, and Towns drew the offensive foul. Towns eventually limped back onto the floor and finished the game. He was favoring his left leg significantly the rest of the way. His status going forward isn't clear, but finishing the night — even minimally — is a good start. Towns finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds on the night. Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points, though he was largely shut down in the fourth quarter and scored just once in those 12 minutes. The Knicks had 17 turnovers as a team, too. While they are now up 3-1 in the series, which is a hole very few teams in NBA history have come out of, the Pacers will now have to attempt to close out the series at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. The first two games in New York were both tight. The Pacers won Game 1 only after Hailburton hit a wild bucket at the buzzer in regulation to force overtime. They snuck out a five-point win in Game 2 a few days later, too. Like the Pacers, the Knicks are trying to end an equally long postseason drought. The franchise hasn't been to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000, though the Pacers beat them in that series 4-2. The Knicks were last in the NBA Finals in 1999, though they've not won a title since the early 1970s. The Knicks now have their backs against a 3-1 wall. If they are going to pull this off, they'll have play better. Actually stopping this Pacers group has been just about impossible for anybody in the East.

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 28, 2025

Pacers vs. Knicks: Tyrese Haliburton erupts for historic triple-double in Game 4 as Indiana takes 3-1 lead

Pacers vs. Knicks: Tyrese Haliburton erupts for historic triple-double in Game 4 as Indiana takes 3-1 lead Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana...

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Trump's tax and policy bill takes center stage at lively Nebraska GOP town hall

Trump's tax and policy bill takes center stage at lively Nebraska GOP town hall

US Congressman Mike Flood faced a torrent of boos and jeers as he spoke to town hall attendees in his Nebraska district on May 27, one of the first held nationwide as House GOP leaders return home after passing PresidentDonald Trump'ssweeping tax policy bill. "I thought your party wanted to reduce the deficit," one constituent questioned in writing about the bill, which would add an estimated $3.8 trillion to the deficit. "What in the world?" Another attendee said Flood, R-Nebraska, had previously claimed he wouldn't vote for a bill that cuts Social Security and Medicare, but the GOP bill now maytrigger mandatory budget reductionsthat could impact Medicare. "You either lied to us or you have been bullied into voting against our health care," she said. An audience member who identified themselves as a para-educator raised concerns that theschool voucher programincluded in the GOP bill would pull money from public schools and hurt children with learning disabilities. They asked: "How is that an equitable school choice for my child?" Unlike in previous town halls – which have grabbed headlines as attendees protested the Trump administration's rapidtransformation of the federal government– Flood's crowd had Congress in its sights. Just before House members left for their week-long recess, they passeda massive billthat would have major impacts for Americans' pocketbooks, their benefit systems for healthcare and food support, access to renewable energy and more. The bill will next beconsidered in the Senate, where it is expected to be tweaked before going back to the House and then the president's desk. Flood, who is the vice-chair of the pragmatic Main Street Caucus in the House GOP, is among the members holding in-person forums afterRepublican leaders advisedin March that they switch to virtual or telephone town halls after early in-person meetings were flooded with protesters. Flood opened the meeting by shaking hands with each attendee as they came in and noting that they are "all Nebraskans." "I don't think one of you is here because you're getting paid. I don't think one of you is here because you were trucked in," he said, a reference to a common refrain from some Republican members that angry crowds at town halls across the country are Democratic "paid protesters." Liberal groups such asIndivisiblehave promoted and encouraged their members to go to congressional town halls, but there is no evidence that attendees are being paid. Flood extended the one-hour town hall by an extra 30 minutes, fielding questions on the proposed changes to Medicaid and food stamps; the impact on schools, hospitals, children and people with disabilities; the effects of tax cuts and the increased deficit and more. The National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republican's campaign arm,has advised membersto "go on offense" on the new bill and tout the party's efforts to keep undocumented people off of benefit programs, cut taxes, and secure the southern border. Flood defended the legislation as necessary to avoid a tax increase at the end of the year, when the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires, and thechanges to Medicaidas reasonable reforms that will help protect benefits for deserving recipients in the long term. "Our unemployment is so low that anybody that can work is most likely working," he said, arguing that the new work requirements for able-bodied adults without children are unlikely to have a big impact on the state. The proposed reforms, which also include more eligibility checks andseveral other changes, are expected to save more than $625 billion and cause 7.6 million Americans to lose their health insurance over the next 10 years. Flood said that he didn't know about one section of the bill that would make itharder for federal judges to hold people in contempt, which may shield Trump and other administration officials who choose to violate court orders, and pledged to work with the Senate to change it. "I do not agree with that section that was added to that bill," Flood said, and the room exploded in jeers. "I believe in the rule of law... I do believe that the federal district courts, when issuing an injunction, it should have legal effect." Flood also pushed back on attendees who suggested that he and other Republicans in Congress are unwilling to break with Trump and are ceding their authority to the executive branch. "It is incumbent upon members of Congress like me to be aware of what's going on and to be vocal about it, and I am working on doing that," he said. "I am hearing you. I think what you're saying is important, and I think it's something that binds us together." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Boos, jeers at Nebraska GOP town hall over Trump's tax bill

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 28, 2025

Trump's tax and policy bill takes center stage at lively Nebraska GOP town hall

Trump's tax and policy bill takes center stage at lively Nebraska GOP town hall US Congressman Mike Flood faced a torrent of boos and je...

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Israel's Gaza aid model is 'distraction from atrocities', UNRWA chief says

Israel's Gaza aid model is 'distraction from atrocities', UNRWA chief says

By John Geddie TOKYO (Reuters) -The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said on Wednesday Israel's model for providing aid to Gaza was wasteful and a "distraction from atrocities", criticising a chaotic distribution by a U.S.-backed foundation this week. On Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians rushed an aid distribution site set up in the Israeli-held southern Gaza city of Rafah operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), with desperation for food overcoming wariness about biometric and other checks Israel said it would employ. "The model of aid distribution proposed by Israel does not align with core humanitarian principles," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told reporters at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. "We have seen yesterday the shocking images of hungry people pushing against fences, desperate for food. It was chaotic, undignified and unsafe," Lazzarini said. "I believe it is a waste of resources and a distraction from atrocities," he added, referring to civilian deaths during Israel's air and ground war in the small coastal enclave. Israel says its military operations target only Hamas-led militants and accuses them of using civilians for cover, which they deny. As a trickle of aid has resumed, Israeli forces - now in control of wide areas of Gaza - have kept up their offensive, killing 3,901 Palestinians since a short ceasefire collapsed in mid-March, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The GHF, backed by Israel and its close ally, the United States, said it had distributed about 8,000 food boxes, equivalent to 462,000 meals, since Israel eased an 11-week-old blockade of the war-shattered Palestinian enclave last week. The United Nations and other international aid groups have boycotted the foundation, which they say undermines the principle that humanitarian aid should be distributed independently of the parties to a conflict, based on need. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce dismissed criticism of the aid program as "complaints about style". Israel says one advantage of the new aid system is the opportunity to screen recipients at designated sites to exclude anyone found to be connected with Hamas. Israel, at war with Hamas since October 2023, accuses Hamas of stealing supplies and using them to entrench its position. Hamas denies this. (Reporting by John Geddie; editing by Tom Hogue and Mark Heinrich)

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 28, 2025

Israel's Gaza aid model is 'distraction from atrocities', UNRWA chief says

Israel's Gaza aid model is 'distraction from atrocities', UNRWA chief says By John Geddie TOKYO (Reuters) -The head of the U.N....

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